Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) conducted presentation of a website - www.historyproject.ge at the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. “The website accommodates articles, archives and memory studies, news, historical facts, quizzes, books, a photo-video gallery and a database of archival documents, which contains those related to specific events”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Statement of Irakli Kobakhidze in regard to constitutional amendments is appraised negatively. Part of civil society organizations in Georgia considers that the statement of Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the “Georgian Dream”, in regard to suspension of review of constitutional amendments and possible refusal to reduce the electoral threshold is detrimental to the democratization process of the country. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Equality Week was held in Georgia on November 15-24, 2021, with the aim of informing the public of the importance of equality and the available legal mechanisms to combat discrimination. “Within the framework of the event, the Eastern Georgia Division and the Equality Department of the Public Defender's Office held 30 information meetings with students of higher education institutions, schoolchildren, teachers and young people living in Tbilisi and 5 regions of Georgia (Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli). At the meetings, Public Defender’s representatives spoke about the forms of discrimination, as well as the regulations and mechanisms available in the country for the protection of rights. It should be noted that in the regions populated by ethnic minorities, meetings were held in the languages of ethnic minorities”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. On November 27-28, a seminar on child rights for parliamentarians and the Permanent Parliamentary Council on Child Rights was organized by the Parliament of Georgia and UNICEF. “The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, its basic principles, and general implementation mechanisms were discussed at the seminar”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. An organization “Partnership for Human Rights” (PHR) has contested the idea of granting a lifelong “green status” to COVID survivors in court. “The organization urges the Tbilisi City Court to issue an interim measure instructing the Government to make a “scientific evidence-based decision” in regard to “green passports”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition responds to the fact of injury caused to a cameraman of TV Company Kavkasia. On November 29, while covering a rally taking place in front of the Tbilisi City Court, a cameraman of TV Company Kavkasia lost consciousness. According to him, he had allegedly been sprayed with pepper spray in his eyes. “Unfortunately, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have again failed to perform their duties properly and it still remains a problem to have police ensure security of the media during coverage of rallies. Media Advocacy Coalition calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take into account the high public interest in the process and provide appropriate conditions for representatives of the media thus allowing them to perform their professional duties freely, without harm to their health or having their rights violated”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. The Public Defender and an organization “Rights Georgia” have published a special report, which demonstrates results of monitoring of legal proceedings carried out at Tbilisi and Rustavi city courts. Project researchers monitored interrogation of women victims of domestic violence in 30 criminal cases. “Insufficient awareness about rights and support services is one of the complications that women victims of domestic violence face during interrogation in court”. Read more… Source: rights.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition member organizations consider that cases brought against “Mtavari Channel”, a broadcaster having the critical editorial policy, and its representatives are alarming. “While the tendency of sanctioning makes us anticipate that the Communications Commission aims to block the broadcaster and change its critical editorial policy. Unfortunately, the Communications Commission continues to apply a controversial practice related to regulation of content of the broadcaster, as it has been revealed during sanctioning of broadcasters on the ground of obscenity. Besides, with its new decision, the Commission attempts to limit the opportunity for civil activists to criticize the Government and have a chance to disseminate their opinions, different from those of the ruling party, through the media”, - is noted in the statement. Read more... Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center publishes an analytical document: “The right to a fair trial in cases of administrative offenses”. “The present document identifies and appraises the problems that have been revealed by the Human Rights Center during its monitoring of trials related to cases of allegedly politically motivated administrative offenses”. Read more… Source: hrc.ge

Tbilisi. There was held a forum of community leaders in order to demonstrate activities of community organizations and present their achievements to society. “During the forum, society got acquainted with new, interesting community initiatives. Besides, representatives of international, non-governmental and governmental organizations, providing grants, introduced their capabilities to community organizations. The forum was conducted with the support of the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation within the framework of the “Civil Society Initiative” project. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a study, which contains a review of the legal environment regulating personal data protection and cybersecurity in cyberspace. “The study provides evidence-based recommendations referring on the best European legal frameworks”. Read more... Source :idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi joins #16 Days of activist against gender based violence. The Biltmore placed an orange banner on the screen of the tower as a sign of solidarity. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the information of UN Women in Georgia Local governments in Georgia join the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. “Within the framework of the campaign, over dozens of local governments will hold thematic events, including information meetings and media appearances all across Georgia. To guide the implementation of the campaign, NALAG has developed a special guidance for the local governments”. Read more... Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Every year, the Public Defender of Georgia joins the 16 Day sof Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which has been marked since 1991 and aims to raise public awareness of the elimination of violence against women and domestic violence. Unfortunately, the Covid 19 pandemic has further exacerbated the problematic and covert nature of domestic violence and femicide. Femicide - gender-motivated killings of women – remains a particularly serious problem. The rate of this crime has sharply increased compared to previous years. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Kakheti. On November 18-22, 2021 Rondeli Foundation organized another round of the regional training program Youth for Changes, this time in Telavi. During five days, the young activists representing Kakheti region got acquainted with the key foreign and domestic policy issues, as well as political ideologies and electoral processes in Georgia. The project also promotes skill development in areas of policy analysis and advocacy. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. “The Social Justice Center considers that the existing policy of the state should be substantially improved and based on more multi-layered vision and approaches in regard to the elimination of violence. It is important to enhance significantly working on real needs and long-term empowerment of women victims, on the one hand, while on the other hand, to establish a systemic policy based on inter-disciplinary knowledge and inter-agency (police, justice, social and penitentiary fields) coordination, which will address structural causes of violence, create conditions for real change of behavior, awareness and attitudes to perpetrators of violence, and manage introduction of more prompt and refined methodologies for measuring risks of violence”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, one of the main landmarks of the Georgian capital, the TV tower, was lit up in orange once again. “With this symbolic gesture, the capital of Georgia joined the global campaign against gender-based violence. The campaign started on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and will last for 16 days. The initiative, which has already become a tradition, has been implemented by UN Women with the support of Tbilisi City Hall since 2016”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center held a conference on “Inter-community relations, micro-conflicts and an integration policy”. “The purpose of the conference was to actualize challenges related to inclusive society and politics, encourage dialogue on this issue among political, expert and community groups, and propose recommendations for real changes to the state once again”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network

Tbilisi. Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.  “Violence against women is a widespread problem. In Georgia, 1 in 5 women report having experienced sexual violence and/or sexual harassment at least once in their life - including sexual abuse as a child”. Find out more… Source: eu4georgia.eu

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center responds to a statement of Irakli Garibashvili in regard to tightening of a drug policy. “We consider that use of a repression and punishment-oriented rhetoric by the Prime Minister is extremely problematic. Instead of promoting a care-oriented policy, the statement of the Prime Minister causes stigmatization of drug users and their further exclusion from the society, while opinions expressed in the context of so-called prescription drug addiction are not aimed at elimination of root causes of the problem”, - is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations, and for any interested person. Newsletter...